Plantar warts is a nematode that grows on the skin of a viral nature, it is also known as the corn kernels. From medical terms, it is clear that such formations are localized on the soles of the feet and toes. From the perspective of oncology, the risk is not dangerous but causes many inconveniences when traveling due to painful compression.
Causes of ankle warts
All types of warts, including warts, are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). You can become infected through close contact with an infected person or through everyday life. The virus quickly dies from sunlight, but it feels great in high humidity. Therefore, most HPV infections usually occur in bathtubs, saunas, and swimming pools. The penetration of the virus into the body is facilitated by microscopic damage and cracks in the skin, as well as a decrease in immunity.
With its strong protective properties, the virus after infection can remain inactive for an indefinite period of time. But if the immunity decreases, it will begin to actively multiply, causing the appearance of warts in different locations on the skin. As for their appearance, the cause is that the subtypes 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57 of HPV are most commonly responsible.
Several tendency factors contribute to the appearance of such shapes:
- shoes are too tight or too big;
- wears heels regularly;
- various foot defects (including flat feet);
- various diseases of the foot joints (arthritis, degenerative joint disease, etc. ).
Leg warts are more common in people with excessively dry skin and hyperkeratosis.
Thus, the causes of warts are in all cases the same (HPV infection), but the causative factors are different. The number and size of elements on the skin depends on them and the immune state.
How vegetative warts appear
The warts of the feet look like a round lump of skin. It can come in a variety of sizes, but rarely exceeds two centimeters in diameter. It protrudes on the surface of the skin no more than three millimeters, but at the same time it goes deep inwards with its roots. The color may not differ from the surrounding skin, or be darker or lighter. Often such formations are yellow or gray in color. With the naked eye, when looking inside the elements, black dots or lines are visible (they are also clearly visible in the image). This is how the capillaries look, in which blood clots have formed, due to the compression of the Horn's vessels.
Initially, the wart had a smooth surface. But over time, it becomes hard, rough, thickened. It is the horns that give these warts a yellow color.
An important symptom of a wart is a painful feeling of compression. Each step causes severe acute pain to the patient.
These warts are very similar to calluses. The resemblance to a puff was particularly obvious due to the severe pain of both systems. The main difference is that there is no skin tissue on the surface of the wart, while on calluses it remains.
Diagnosis of Plantar warts
An authorized dermatologist will diagnose this disease based solely on a clinical picture. In some cases, additional skin microscopy is required. The absence of a skin pattern on the formation and presence of capillaries with blood clots in its structure confirm this diagnosis.
Treatment of vegetative warts
Warts of limbs are more difficult to remove than similar formations in other areas as they penetrate deeper into the dermis. In the case of small and newly formed particles, it is possible to use necrotic external preparations. Large and deep warts are surgically removed. At the same time, old ingredients should first be softened with keratolytic agents.
External preparations for the removal of wart
In some cases, it is possible to destroy such formations on their own. But since vegetative warts are quite painful, the patient doesn't want to wait and try to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Any treatment for warts with a necrotic effect is prescribed to remove small particles and surfaces.
These products contain acids that coagulate proteins on the skin, causing necrosis. Medicines that contain refrigerants have a similar effect. But they cause a necrotic effect from tissue freezing, not chemical damage.
All of these drugs are applied metalwise onto the layer. Close supervision is required so that the substance does not fall into surrounding tissues, as this will cause them to burn. After the treatment, the wound will remain on the site of the previous wart and will be covered with a sheath. After the wound heals, it will fall off on its own. You can perform such treatment at home, but only as directed by your doctor.
In this way, only small sized vegetative warts and shallow penetration into the skin can be removed. For large particles you need to choose other methods of removal, as complete destruction of the wart tissue will inevitably lead to its recurrence.
A surgical method to remove
warts
There are many different ways to remove milia during surgery. Gentle methods are preferred:
- Laser removal
- ;
- radio wave knife;
- cryodestruction;
- burning electricity.
All these procedures are done on an outpatient basis. Patients can go home as soon as a few minutes are completed, they just need to regularly treat the wound at home.
The most effective and safest way to get rid of the warts is a laser or radio excision. When they are done, the vessels immediately coagulate, which helps in good prevention of bleeding and secondary infection. Complications of removing skin formations using these methods are extremely rare. The same cannot be said of de-chilling and coagulation, so these treatments have faded and are rarely used.
If the warts are large or old (covered with a large number of keratinocytes), you should be treated with a keratosis for two weeks before the removal procedure. For this purpose, salicylic or acid ointment and other drugs are prescribed. This can partially peel off the horns, making the scales softer and easier to flake off. This will make it easier and faster to get rid of the wart.
In rare cases, when there are many factors or doubts about their nature, the doctor may recommend scalpel removal surgery. With this method of removing warts, the recovery time and high risk of scarring are much longer, so it should be used only under strict indications.
Characteristics of warts in children
In children over 5 years old, warts are quite common, as they often run barefoot, get injured and do not always follow the rules of personal hygiene. The immune system malfunctions due to frequent contact with sick children (in kindergartens and schools), leading to an increased chance of getting warts.
It is best to start treating such forms in a child with external agents. You can try exfoliating using salicylic ointment, followed by pumice stone. Immunomodulatory drugs have been shown to be good. When applied regularly on warts, they can get rid of them after a few weeks.
If the elements are deep, apply necrotic agent or remove them with a laser knife or radio waves.
Prevents Plantar warts
It is absolutely impossible to protect yourself from the appearance of warts, but you can reduce the chance of them appearing. In order to do this, you need to act in two directions: removing the dangerous factors and stimulating the body's defenses.
To achieve the first goal, you need:
- adheres to the rules of personal hygiene (not walking barefoot in public, washing feet daily, and handling wound promptly);
- selects comfortable shoes by size;
- to promptly prevent foot deformities and treat joint diseases.
A healthy lifestyle, playing sports, working hard, taking complex vitamins and immunostimulating drugs as prescribed by your doctor will help maintain a good level of defense.
In case of excessively dry skin and hyperkeratosis, you should regularly get your nails done and skin peeled. In the case of your feet sweating too much, you need to use special methods to treat hyperhidrosis. By following all these rules, the risk of developing warts on the soles of the feet is minimized.
Genital warts, although not a dangerous disease, cause a lot of inconveniences due to pain when walking. Fortunately, in modern medicine there are ways to get rid of the disease quickly and with less risk of a new disease coming back. To do this, you need to consult a dermatologist and strictly follow all doctor's appointments and recommendations.